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The Wilds
Overview The Wilds have no significant shared history due to their widespread nature. Each principality is it's own government, it's own rulership. Although there are a few widespread commonalities between some cultures, most exist uniquely to themselves. Some societies of The Wilds can be found, in rarer numbers, in the lands of other kingdoms such as The Royaume or The Commonwealth. Halflings of the Shires Living in small, secluded farming villages away from the pressures of the world, the Halflings of the wilds live traditional peasant lives, with no major form of government beyond, perhaps, a mayor. Usually found in the midlands and around the warmer climates, they tend to thrive on the easy life of sunshine, beer and good food. Halflings call their enclaves their Village or their Shire, depending on it's size, and will usually live there their whole life without caring about the world outside, or the problems of folk other than their family and friends. Ever the lovers of sweetness and taste, they produce many fine baked goods and sweet beers and juices, and often a shire will have an apiary to produce honey. The Halflings created what is referred to as Sweet Tea, hot black tea that is sweetened with milk as well as cream, honey or sugar depending on the affordability and wealth of the person serving it. This halfling drink is considered peculiar, but pleasant to those who experience it and aren't from this society, and a taste of home for those who come from it. Halflings will have a Teatime to celebrate a friendship, or a family visit- usually in the mid afternoon and served outside, this event involves the drinking of Sweet Tea and eating of pastries, breads and other such food. Often neighbours will come by to share in this event. For Halflings of the Shires, "The more the merrier" isn't just a saying, but a way of life. Wood Elf Enclaves Living lives off the land, Wood Elf enclaves are found around trees and in forests. Their treetop cities are high up off the ground, and they tend towards peace and piousness, wary of large civilizations and the trouble they cause. They shun the chaos of populous environments and choose to live away from that kind of existence. When an Enclave grows too large it will split into smaller groups, with one half voyaging to a new land to call it's home. These journeys are rare, but often fascinating to watch, as they will frequently sing their ancient songs and trade stories of their hopes and fears for the new Enclave they will build. Without a central authority, these Enclaves generally flow with the will of the people, when enough people decide to do something, that is just how the Enclave will do it, with little to no discussion involved. Wood Elves are known to be wary of outsiders and traders, instead choosing to make do with what they can get of their own volition and work. However, they are known to produce fine bows and wooden weapons for those who can win their trust enough to negotiate with them. Castletown Some would-be rulers become kings of a small land, setting up a castle or a fort from which they oversee a few different farmlands. The Castletown itself is protected by huge walls, with small farms dotted around outside it. Some of these kings are kind, seeking only to protect the lands they have united, while others are despotic tyrants, or power-hungry leaders. Castles will sometimes wage small wars against each other, and occasionally against a larger kingdom, but rarely will they become large enough to be anything more than a sub-pocket of a much larger society. Farms Living on the land and the fruits of their labours, farming villages will often work a single field, bringing in the crop to a local Castletown to sell. They may be taxed on their goods, or they may be left to take the money for themselves, but these farms are key to surviving in the untamed Wilds. Merchants Merchants living in these towns tend to live a comfortable existence. They sell and trade goods and occasionally venture to other towns- or if they're rich enough, pay others to- to get more exotic wares. Guardsmen Town Guards are often a minor form of militia (Although richer Castles may afford mercenary forces or even a more properly trained army), they deal with crimes the best they can- if they don't have cells to spare either letting people go or giving out physical punishments to the offender. Often the idea of a court is laughable- if the King or the Guard decide you are guilty, then you are guilty with little room for debate or question. Nomads The Nomadic lifestyle is one of travelling place to place. Nomads set up temporary villages from their yurts, hunt animals, and trade the goods they find and their services with villages they camp near. Typically not staying anywhere for more than a month, Nomads live a life on the road. Although they may invite outsiders who become intimate to join them, usually they will simply love and leave. The women who become pregnant through these affairs have their children born in the nomadic life, not knowing their fathers. Becoming an adult is a trial taken at any age a member of the tribe feels they are prepared. To be recognized as an adult each tribe has it's own ritual, and one that even outsiders who wish to join their ranks have to pass. Hunting, skinning and wearing the body of a great bear, alpha wolf, or another dangerous creature is the one consistent thing. Tribes do not allow clothing that has not been personally earned by the wearer or their family, so the quality of someone's clothing also reflects their societal standing. Nomads live in neither a matriarchal nor patriarchal society, instead following the oldest member of their tribe's wishes as law, and worshipping the gods of nature and the hunt. The Minotaur Tribe Living life in large-ish herds and living off the lands within their territories, the Minotaurs of the wilds are peaceful, and generally respect each other and nature. They have good relations with surrounding towns, but tend to shrug off and not care about large civilization. They share many similarities with the Nomads, however they themselves do not choose to move around from place to place, instead calling one particular location home and going from there. They are wary of outsiders, but friends are welcomed always with drinks and laughter. Auspicious occasions are celebrated, and the stars are watched and learned from, as are the ground and trees and plants. Minotaurs typically have a variety of grown substances- such as beer and drugs- to celebrate with. A Minotaur can be a sober, solemn representative of their people by day and the life of the party at night. Minotaurs worship gods of nature and fertility, and consider blessing someone to have many children as high praise- saying that you wish to see more people like them in the world. Goblin Raiders Goblins live short, angry and murderous lives. Like the brutal weaker younger siblings of Orcs, they typically think of things not Goblin as lesser, and Goblins not of the same group as only slightly less lesser. Goblins respect only what is proven to beat them, and are incredibly sadistic towards their captives- torturing and killing things often just for fun, leaving only scarred or broken meat to feast on. Although a Goblin society is ruled by a leader known as the Bossgob, Goblin society is shamanistic, all decisions made by the Bossgob are confirmed by the shaman, who acts as a soothsayer. The Shaman will choose when to hunt, what to hunt, and preside over religious ceremonies. They will frequently use fresh sacrifices as crystal balls to examine the future, and blood is a big part of their society. Particular traits vary from society to society- some are cannibalistic, while others shy away from such behaviour, preffering just to murder sentient species- some eat bugs, carrying around a pouch of them as a snack bag, others still enslave as opposed to sacrifice those who they've caught, making a slave army to ride upon. All enjoy decadance and wealth- prefferably earned by someone else's hand. Goblins will live in caves or conquered towns, but dislike living out in the open. They sleep in large pits with a number piled onto each other, and birth children into similar pits- Goblin Children never know their family, who their parents were, or even if both of them were Goblins. A Goblin learns from a young age they aren't special or unique, and have to fight amongst themselves to even get the scraps of food thrown their way- often, Goblin young will die during these fights, or starve if they are particularly weak.